Marine Life & Conservation

Nudibranchs: what do you know about them? (Watch Video)

Published

5 years ago

April 16, 2020

The second in an exciting new series of blogs introducing some of the amazing marine life you can encounter at Magic Resorts in the Philippines…

Some interesting facts!

Who doesn’t love nudibranchs? These tiny little creatures catch everybody’s interest because of their cute appearance, bright colors and last but not least, there are thousands of different species!

Although the word “nudibranchs” sounds as cute as the creature itself, the word actually comes from both Latin and Greek: Nudus (naked in Latin) and bránkhia (gills in Greek). The reason? The gills on their back are completely uncovered! Some things are just so simple.

Nudibranchs are also called nudis or sea slugs. All the nudibranchs are sea slugs, but not all sea slugs are nudibranchs. Some can swim and some are even toxic (or pretend to be!) But don’t worry, they won’t have enough toxin to harm humans: it’s only to protect themselves from predators or those who pretend to be toxic.

Another funny fact about nudibranchs is that they are hermaphrodites, which means they are intersex: all nudibranch (“male” or “female”) can be pregnant and can lay a million eggs at one time!

Although there are thousands of different species, there are basically only two major types of them: Dorid & Aeolid nudibranchs.

Dorid nudibranchs breathe through the gills on their back, which look like a little tree of gills. Aeolid nudibranchs have cerata or finger-like strings on their back that function as breathing, digestion, and defense apparatus. They also have variations of shapes: rose-like, club-shaped, clustered, thread-like, and branched. Aeolid nudibranchs can use their cerata for defense and some kinds of nudis can excrete toxin or acid from their body if they are threatened.

Come and dive with Magic Oceans Dive Resort and let the guides show you their nudibranch paradise! On top, their in-house marine biologist can tell you much more about these creatures during the seminar (free of charge)!

Some general facts!

There are more than 3000 species of nudibranchs worldwide and new ones are discovered almost daily. Which ones have you already seen
Their size varies from less than 0.5 inch (Shaun the Sheep) to 35 inch (Spanish Dancer)!

Nudis can be found in many places all over the world: coral reefs, seagrass beds or sandy bottoms. Did you know that you can also find some species in the Southern/Antarctic Ocean?
Nudibranchs don’t live very long. Some die within a month, others survive for only a year.

Visit Magic Oceans Anda, Bohol and Magic Island Moalboal, Cebu… find out more at www.magicresorts.online.

Also on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram!

Marine Life & Conservation

Shark Trust launches Oceanic 31 Shark Art Auction

Published

2 weeks ago

November 1, 2024

Shark Trust

After a two-year tour of UK art galleries, community spaces and aquariums, the Shark Trust’s acclaimed Oceanic31 exhibition takes its final bow at the Royal Geographical Society later this month. And the unique collection of artwork, depicting 31 species of oceanic sharks and rays, donated by 31 artists, is now open for bids from art lovers and shark enthusiasts. The online auction, launched today, will close on the 7^th December at 8pm (BST). The money raised will support the Shark Trust Oceanics Programme.

People can now bid on 27 of the artworks by visiting this website:

https://superstars-auctions.com/sharktrustauction

It is a chance to own a beautiful piece of original art and to support the Shark Trust. The timing of the auction also means that these would make a very special Christmas gift for any shark-lover.

: Bigeye Thresher Shark by Janina Rossiter

: Carcharodon carcharias by Jimmy Higgs

: Croc VR 2030 by Tom Mead

: Oceanic Whitetip by ATM

: Silky Street by ScapaJoe

The diversity of pieces mirrors that of the sharks and rays they represent. You can bid on paintings, digital creations, sculptures, mixed media and more. You can pick your favourite artist or species of shark. Or you can select the perfect artwork to make a statement in your home or office. Whichever you choose, you will be supporting the work to protect these amazing animals.

One of the pieces of art has been selected to be auctioned live by Steve Backshall at the For the Love of Sharks event at the Royal Geographical Society in London on the 29^th November. In addition to this, two further pieces will be raffled at this event, giving people a chance to win an incredible piece of shark art. For the Love of Sharks is the Shark Trust’s flagship evening. A night to celebrate sharks. Steve Backshall is the headline speaker at this event that will see other prominent shark advocates join him on stage.

Tickets for the event can be snapped up here:

https://thesharktrust.org.uk/Event/flos24

Those that would like to see the Oceanic 31 exhibition have one final chance. It is being displayed at the Pavilion at the Royal Geographic Society from 26^th November until the 7^th December. Entry is free.

Find out more here:

https://www.rgs.org/events/upcoming-events/oceanic-31

Paul Cox, Shark Trust CEO, Said “This exhibition has given us the opportunity to reach out to a new audience. And inspire more people with the wonderful sharks and rays on which our Big Shark Pledge campaign is based. We are immensely grateful to the 31 artists who have worked so hard to create these works.”

Bid for your favourite Oceanic 31 artwork here:
https://superstars-auctions.com/sharktrustauction

Banner Image: Smooth Hammerhead by Alicia Hayden

Marine Life & Conservation

Meet Steve Backshall in the Bite-Back Prize Draw

Published

4 weeks ago

October 21, 2024

Team Scubaverse

Until 28 November, prizes worth a massive £10,000 – including experiences, products and tuition – feature in a line-up of items that can be won for £5 in an online prize draw to celebrate Bite-Back Shark & Marine Conservation’s 20^th anniversary and help generate crucial funds for the future.

Top of the list of prizes is the chance to spend time with adventurer and wildlife expert Steve Backshall, a workout session with Nat Geo star Aldo Kane, a kayaking trip alongside white-water expert and diver Sal Montgomery and a Zoom call with ‘shark whisperer’ Cristina Zenato.

On top of that, some of the most admired companies in the diving and scuba industry have been quick to support the charity with fabulous prizes that make the £5 ticket price worth more than just a flutter.

Master Liveaboards, BSAC, Midlands Diving Chamber, Go Freediving and Blue Shark Snorkel have all generously donated experience prizes, while celebrated photographer Alex Mustard has donated a print and artists Scott Gleed and Olivier Leger have donated a sculpture and illustration to help boost the fundraising pot.

Fourth Element has donated Ocean Positive gear and LA watch company Nodus has gifted the charity a stunning dive watch. For land lovers, the charity has included a five star London hotel stay at Bankside Hotel plus a family visit to Longleat Safari Park in the roster of prizes.

Campaign director for Bite-Back, Graham Buckingham, said: “We’ve been overwhelmed with support from companies and individuals that we truly admire and who have supported us on our 20 year journey and we’re truly grateful to them all. While we feel incredibly proud of our achievements over the past two decades – and we are super excited about the next chapter – this prize draw isn’t a vanity project. It represents a real lifeline to our work and important advancements in the global protection of sharks. So we hope divers, dive clubs and even bargain hunters grab some tickets to make this a massive success.”

The charity hopes that the prize draw will generate crucial funds to launch a brand new, ground-breaking, campaign to enrol the public and increase support for the protection of sharks around the world.

To enter the competition visit www.bite-back.com/prizedraw. The prize winners will be announced on 1 December 2024.